One of the oldest homes in Queensborough has been damaged by fire, and its fate is now uncertain.
New Westminster fire crews attended a home in the 200-block of Jardine Street early Wednesday morning.
"Apparently it is one of the older homes in Queensborough," said New Westminster fire inspector Brent Joel. "It is behind the market and the Queens Hotel. They were hoping it would be part of a new development. I guess it had some heritage value."
According to Joel, the house has been vacant since November 2011.
"Fire crews rolled up. At first we were told there was nobody inside. Then we got a report there might be squatters in there," he said. "The building was not secured. Crews went in and did a quick search on the main and upper floors. They determined it was pretty unsafe."
Firefighters exited the building and poured water on it from the exterior. A damage estimate wasn't available at The Record's presstime.
"It burned the roof off. Most of the roof then collapsed on the second floor," Joel said. "That is where it sits. The four walls are there."
Joel said a city building inspector and heritage planner will visit the site to determine if the home can be salvaged. Discussions were also taking place to determine the level of insurance coverage on the vacant home.
"The building was in pretty rough shape before the fire. The fire has compounded the damage," he said.
